Pride in products

A yen for Japanese excellence.

WATCHING a video on how Japanese beauty products are tested was not only amusing, but also eye- opening.

Japan Beauty Week recently organised by Japan Cosmetic Industry Association ( JCIA), with the support of the Japan Embassy, was aimed at disseminating information about the country’s cosmetic manufacturing technology and to provide an avenue for business development.

The video showed a series of laboratory quality tests of beauty products by prestige Japanese beauty brand Shiseido. It included repetitive dropping of cosmetic cases, inspection on the smooth- ness of make- up pencils through repetitive drawing to the rigorous vibration of Shiseido products inside a purse!

So, the next time you fork out a ton of money for your range of luxury Japanese cosmetics, it will come with peace of mind that not only will you have a sturdy cosmetic case that will likely outlive its content, it will survive the brutal pothole vibrations on Kuala Lumpur roads!

It is this attention to detail and the inimitable Japanese pride in creating quality products that resulted in Japan’s over 33 billion Yen export value in 2014, to countries such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Thailand and Singapore, among its export destinations.

“It is a well- known fact that behind the technology of Japanese industries, there is a long tradition of respect for nature, the arts to master the secrets and technological innovations; reasons why Japanese products are widely acknowledged as the most advanced,” said Tetsuya Kambe, director of International Division of the JCIA.

Brands that were showcased at the Japan Beauty Week held at the Japan Ambassador’s residence included Shiseido, Kanebo, Kose, Menard, Kao and Sunstar Singapore ( which manufactures Ora2, oral beauty care).

With an Asian demographic that highly values clear skin or pigmentation free skin, the Japanese beauty brands have been at the forefront of developing whitening active ingredients such as kojic acid, arbutin, ellagic acid, chammomilla extract, tranexamic acid, among several others.

Interestingly, Kambe pointed out that currently Japan has a large elderly population aged 60 and above and it is predicted that Malaysia will exceed the world average in 30 years when its elderly population will reach about 30% of its total population in 2100.

Which is why Japan is focusing its research approaches in the three big topics in skincare: moisturising, whitening and anti- ageing.